United States Patent [191
[111
Hayes et al.
[451 Nov. 16, 1976
[54] WORK FIXTURE AND TESTING METHOD
[75] lnventors: Robert L. Hayes; Joseph C. Gould,
both of, Honea ‘Path, S.C.
[73] Assignee: Parke, Davis & Company, Detroit,
Mich.
June 9, 1975
[22] Filed:
[21] Appl. No.: 585,271
US. Cl. .................................................. .. 73/37
[51]
[53]
Int. Cl.2 ......................................... .. C01M 3/02
Field of Search ................ .. 73/37, 40, 49.8, 38;
279/10, 1 SJ
[561
References Cited
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,054,204
9/1936
McDonald ..................... .. 73/455 X
2,074,140
2,370,945
3,603,138
3/1937
3/1945
9/197l
3,991,604
Bates ................................ .. 73/40 X
Fields ................................ .. 73/37
Peterson ............................... .. 73/37
Primary Examiner—Richard C. Queisser
Assistant Examiner—.lohn S. Appleman
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-—David B. Ehrlinger; George
M. Richards; Stephen Raines
[5 7 ]
ABSTRACT
A work ?xture is provided for testing leak-proof wear
ing apparel such as rubber gloves. The ?xture com
prises a leak-proof pneumatic clamp for mounting
each article of apparel. The ?xture also comprises
means for folding the article while removing it from
the ?xture.
6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures
US. Patent
Nov. 16,1976
Sheetlof2
3,991,604
20
m
34 %
US. Patent
Nov. 16,1976
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3,991,604
3,991,604
1
At the lower end 22 of the sleeve 20 is an in?atable
elastomeric cuff 40. The cuff suitably can be made
from a molded rubber sleeve having the cross-section
SUMMARY AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION
shown in FIG. la with one edge 41 secured by a ring
The present invention relates to work ?xture means 5 clamp 41a to the lower end 22 and the other edge 42 of
WORK FIXTURE AND TESTING METHOD
the cuff similarly secured by a second ring clamp 42a.
for testing and folding leak-proof wearing apparel such
To accommodate the mounting of the usual size range
(sizes 6 to 9) of rubber gloves in which size 6 has a cuff
diameter of about 2.07 inches and size 9 about 2.7
as rubber gloves.
Prior art methods for testing leak-proof wearing ap
parel such as rubber gloves have been unduly cumber
inches, the cuff 40 in the relaxed unin?ated position
some requiring testing under water (e.g., see US. Pat.
No. 2,054,204), or elaborate mounting apparatus, etc.,
or have tended to damage the article by overstretching.
It is an object of the present invention therefore to
(FIG. 2) suitably can have an outside diameter of about
3 inches. For in?ating and de?ating the cuff 40, a
source of air pressure such as a conventional rubber
bulb hand pump communicates with the interior 43 of
the cuff by way of air pressure line 44. The air line
wearing apparel.
extends at its open end 45 through the side wall at
It is also an object of the invention to provide means
spaced points 46 and 47. Thus, the cuff in combination
for testing leak-proof wearing apparel without ad
with the adjacent sleeve wall de?nes a pressure cham
versely affecting the quality thereof.
ber independent of the sleeve 20. The sleeve, in turn,
It is a further object of the invention to provide
means for folding or cuf?ng leak-proof wearing ap 20 with its open end 23 sealed by a rubber glove provides
provide simple ?xture means for testing leak-proof
the main test chamber.
parel.
The invention also contemplates another embodi
These and other objects and advantages of the inven
ment shown in FIG. lb in which the lower end 22 of the
tion are seen in the accompanying drawing in which:
sleeve serves for mounting and demounting a rubber
FIGS. l—3 are side elevational views of a work ?xture
for mounting an item of wearing apparel; FIG. la is a 25 glove but is non-in?atable. Instead, the inside wall of
the collar 30 is in?atable. The wall forms an in?atable
sectional fragmentary view of a work ?xture taken on
chamber with a molded rubber annular sleeve 50 which
line Ia—-Ia;
has one edge 51 secured by a ring clamp 51a to the
FIG. lb is a similar sectional fragmentary view of a
lower rim of the collar and the other edge 52 similarly
work ?xture; and
FIGS. 4-7 are side elevational views of a work ?xture 30 secured by a second ring clamp 52a. For in?ating and
de?ating the chamber, a source of air pressure such as
showing successive steps in the operation of folding a
a bulb pump communicates with the interior 53 by way
cuff on an article of wearing apparel.
of line 54 having an opening 55 into the interior 53. As
The invention is applicable broadly to leak-proof
shown in FIG. lb, the sleeve 50 assumes a de?ated
wearing apparel such as elastomerie articles, surgical
and prophylactic goods, and the like. However, for
convenience of illustration, the following description
35
sleeve, for example, may conveniently be about I34
50
position (solid outline) and an in?ated position (bro
ken outline). In the latter position, the elements in
combination provide a leak-proof pneumatic clamp.
will concern speci?cally a preferred embodiment
In operation, the rubber glove to be tested, as illus
which is the testing and handling of rubber gloves or
trated in FIG. I, is manually held by its cuff in an in
surgeons gloves. This embodiment is merely exem
plary. It will be realized that the same can be modi?ed 40 verted position and then mounted onto the de?ated
cuff 40 manually in the position illustrated in FIG. 2.
within the scope of the invention to accommodate
The cuff 40 when so de?ated is relaxed and compliant,
other similar types of articles.
being at atmospheric pressure. The collar 30 is then
Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a work
released manually from its standby position and low
?xture 10 having a cylindrical air chamber or sleeve 20
held vertically by a stationary support 21. The lower 45 ered to its operating position (FIG. 3). Air is pumped
into the cuff chamber 43 (e.g., to about 5 pounds per
end 22 of the sleeve 20 de?nes an opening 23 which is
square inch/0.34 atmospheres) to cause the cu?" to
circular in cross-section and sufficiently large to afford
expand to the position shown at FIG. 3. In?ation of the
access for reception of a rubber glove upwardly into
cuff 40 in this manner serves to sealingly clamp the
the sleeve. The opening and the bore through the
glove into the ?xture throughout the testing cycle.
Air is pumped into the sleeve 20 via line 25 to raise
inches in diameter. The upper end 24 of the sleeve 20
the glove pressure (and slightly expand the glove) from
communicates through line 25 with a source of low
atmospheric to about 4 inches of water (0.0] atmo
pressure air and a leak tester device (not shown). The
spheres) positive air pressure. The line is then bled
inside surface 26 of the sleeve 20 is generally smooth to
facilitate sliding Contact with a glove for purposes de 55 back for testing purposes precisely to a predetermined
pressure [e.g., 3.5 inches of water (0.0087 atmo
scribed below.
spheres)] in the approximate range from 2 to 4 inches
Surrounding the sleeve 20 is a coaxial collar 30
of water (0.005 to 0.0] atmospheres). Measurement of
which, as described below, serves to clampingly con
the glove pressure for testing purposes according to the
?ne an in?atable member associated with the collar
and sleeve. The collar is cylindrical in shape having a 60 invention can be done in any suitable way. One pre
?ange 31. In a preferred embodiment, the inside diam
eter is about 31/2 inches. The collar is adapted to slide
axially on the sleeve between two positions--one a
ferred commercially available apparatus for testing
pressure and pressure decay leakage is the type that
senses the pressure, records the same in a memory, and
then after a pre-set stabilization period, again senses
supported from its lower rim 32 by a catch arm 33 65 the pressure and compares the two readings for pres
sure differential. One such preferred apparatus is a
depending from support 21 and the other an operating
USON Leak Tester (supplied by the USON Corpora
position (FIG. 3) in which the collar is supported on
tion, Houston, Texas, Model 310 single station, or
the outer wall of the sleeve 20.
standby position (FIG. 2) in which the collar 30 is
3,991,604
3
4
Model 320 dual station). characteristically. any glove
While the invention has been described in detail, it
will be realized by those skilled in the art that wide
variation in such detail can be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention as claimed below. It is
intended that the claims which follow should be inter~
which has pin holes or overthin walls in the thumb or
?nger stall areas or in the palm or backside will show
decay of pressure. For quality control purposes, the
reject level can be set at a predetermined level as de
sired. for example at l0-l cubic centimeters per second
decay. so that all gloves meeting or exceeding this
decay level are considered rejects. Following the test.
preted to cover the invention as described and any such
variation.
We claim:
the sleeve 20 and cuff 40 are exhausted to atmospheric
pressure. the collar 30 is manually lifted to the standby
position, and the glove is taken off the ?xture as having
been either quali?ed or rejected.
1. In a hollow work ?xture or mount for suspending
by gravity, pressure-testing, and demounting an article
of leak-proof wearing apparel, the demounting being
accomplished by threading the suspended article up
Advantageously. the complete testing cycle is fast by
wardly into the hollow ?xture. the combination com
prising:
comparison with prior art methods. A preferred cycle
of steps is. for example. the following:
Operation
a sleeve member having a downwardly disposed cuff
de?ning an open end, said cuff being hollow and
adapted for mounting thereon in downwardly sus
Time (Seconds)
pended relation or demounting therefrom an arti
Loading
3
cle of wearing apparel, the open end of the cuff
Cuff In?ation.
‘r’;
Glove Filling.
l
Glove Pressure Relief
and Stabili/ation:
Leak Test:
Exhausting
Cuff De?ation:
Glove Removal:
TOTAL CYCLE
20
being suf?ciently large to permit insertion of said
article of wearing apparel of a portion thereof into
the cuff to accomplish said demounting.
"l
2v
a collar in surrounding concentric relation with said
l
cuff. the collar being axially retractable to expose
l/Jz
1
l2—l5
said cuff for mounting, at least one of said collar
and cuff being adapted to be inflated by pneumatic
means to a ?rst position for test purposes and de
Removal of the glove from the cuff 40 according to
one preferred embodiment of the invention advanta
geously serves to accomplish folding or cuf?ng of the
?ated to a second position, said collar and cuff
30
glove. Cuf?ng is particularly important for surgeons
gloves because of the special professional requirement
that such gloves be distributed in sterile wallets with
each glove laid out with an open cuff (for convenience 35
in donning) in which the glove end (60, FIG. 7) is
located approximately midway between the thumb
crotch and thumb tip. To accomplish the above pre
ferred method of removal the mid-portion of the glove
is grasped. front and back. with rubber-tipped forceps
or tongs approximately at the base of the palm (as in
FIG. 4) and the glove is raised on the forceps so that it
is threaded upward through the sleeve opening 23 and
within the interior of the sleeve to a point at which the
trailing cuff end 60 of the glove is drawn down and 45
away from the cuff 40. Advantageously. the relaxed,
pliable condition of the cuff 40 and the smooth. low
friction surfaces of the sleeve interior 26 make for
controlled facile release of the glove (FIG. 5). The
forceps and glove are then lowered (FIGS. 6 and 7) and
the glove picked off in the prescribed folded condition.
Removal folding in this manner is not only unexpect
being further adapted in the ?rst position to pneu
matically clamp therebetween an article of wearing
apparel mounted on the cuff and being annularly
spaced in the second position for said mounting
and demounting,
and second pneumatic means adapted to establish
predetermined levels of air pressure in an article of
wearing apparel mounted on the cuff.
2. In a hollow work ?xture or mount for suspending
by gravity. pressure-testing, and demounting an article
of leak-proof wearing apparel, the demounting being
accomplished by threading the suspended article up
wardly into the hollow ?xture. the combination com
prising:
a sleeve member having a downwardly disposed cuff
de?ning an open end. said cuff being hollow and
adapted to be inflated to a ?rst position for test
vpurposes and de?ated to a second position for
mounting thereon or demounting therefrom an
article of wearing apparel. the open end of the cuff
being sufficiently large to permit insertion of said
article of wearing apparel or a portion thereof into
the cuff during said demounting.
a collar in surrounding concentric relation with said
edly accurate and reproducible but also prompt requir
cuff. said collar and cuff being adapted in the ?rst
ing. as indicated. only about one second.
The work ?xture can be fabricated from readily 55
available materials and is economical to make. The
component parts should. of course. be durable to with
stand repeated use without leakage or other failure.
Suitably the sleeve 20 and air lines 25 and 44 can be
made of a transparent material such as glass. Preferably
the collar 30 is also transparent so that the article being
position to clamp thercbctween an article of wear
ing apparel mounted on the cuff and being annu
tested is exposed to view during the test. Suitably the
collar can be a section of clear plastic tubing such as
polyvinylchloride tubing. The cuff material. preferably
in molded tubular form and preferably rubber having a
larly spaced in the second position for said mount
ing and demounting. the collar further being
adapted to be retracted axially to a standby posi
tion away from the cuff to expose the cu? for said
mounting.
?rst pneumatic means adapted to in?ate and de?ate
the cuff.
and second pneumatic means ‘adapted to establish
predetermined levels of air pressure in an article of
wearing apparel mounted on the cuff.
chlorinated ?nish, should be sufficiently thick. (e.g..
3. In a hollow work ?xture or mount for suspending
about 40 mils) to withstand leakage and yet should be
resilient for ease in mounting the articles for testing.
by gravity, pressure-testing. and demounting in?atable
gloves. the demounting being accomplished by thread
3,991,604
ing each glove upwardly into the hollow ?xture, the
ing each glove upwardly into the hollow ?xture, the
combination comprising:
combination comprising:
-
a sleeve member having a downwardly disposed cuff
de?ning an open end, said cuff being hollow and
adapted to be in?ated to a ?rst position for test
purposes and de?ated to a second position for
a sleeve member having a downwardly disposed eu?‘
de?ning an open end, said cuff being hollow and
adapted to be in?ated to a ?rst position supporting
mounting thereon or demounting therefrom a
second position for mounting thereon or demount
ing therefrom a glove, the open end of the cuff
an in?ated glove for test purposes and de?ated to a
glove, the open end of the cuff being sufficiently
large to permit insertion of said glove or a portion
thereof into the cuff during said demounting,
being sufficiently large to permit insertion of said
glove or a portion thereof into the cuff during said
demounting,
a collar in surrounding concentric relation with said
cuff, said collar and cuff being adapted in the ?rst
a collar in surrounding concentric relation with said
position to pneumatically clamp therebetween the
cuff, said collar and cuff being adapted in the ?rst
position to clamp therebetween a glove mounted
on the cuff and being annularly spaced in the sec
ond position for said mounting and demounting,
the collar further being adapted to be retracted
cuff of a glove mounted on the ?xture cuff and
being annularly spaced in the second position for
said mounting and demounting, said collar being
retractable axially with respect to said cuff to a
standby position,
?rst pneumatic means adapted to in?ate and de?ate
the cuff,
and second pneumatic means adapted to establish
predetermined levels of air pressure in the glove
20
mounted on the cuff.
4. Method of testing gloves using a work ?xture ac
cording to claim 3 comprising retracting the collar to 25
the standby position, mounting a glove on the cuff,
moving the collar back to said second position, seal
ingly clamping the glove in the ?xture, in?ating the
glove to a predetermined pressure level, and holding
the in?ated glove for observation of decay leakage.
30
5. In a hollow work ?xture or mount for suspending
by gravity, pressure-testing, and demounting in?atable
gloves, the demounting being accomplished by thread
axially to a standby position away from the cuff to
expose the cuff for said mounting,
?rst pneumatic means adapted to in?ate and de?ate
the cuff,
and second pneumatic means adapted to establish
predetermined levels of air pressure in a glove
mounted on the cuff.
6. Method of testing gloves using a work ?xture ac
cording to claim 4 comprising retracting the collar to
the standby position, mounting a glove on the cuff,
moving the collar back to said second position, seal
ingly clamping the glove in the ?xture, in?ating the
glove to a predetermined pressure level, and holding
the in?ated glove for observation of decay leakage.
*
35
40
45
50
SS
65
*
*
*
*